Crumbling Salvation
by HeyoMyFellowReaders101
Summary: Sequel to SHIPWRECKED; Katniss escaped her execution by the help of a revolution group. Both her and Cato are off the island, but Snow is now after both of them. Their love has escalated into something deep and true. But what will happen when the King wants her dead? And what will be in store once they find the revolutionists? AU. Catoniss. Rated T but will become M.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back! Just like I promised. Now, I decided I need to update this story, because today is the day it was supposed to be published! So, I'll keep it short and give you the first chapter of CRUMBLING SALVATION; Sequel to SHIPWRECKED. **

**Enjoy my buttercups!**

* * *

_And he's there. Looking at me intently, and then at Prim. His eyes say understanding and I nod. And then I still run. I run until I collapse, right in front of an oak tree. My oak tree, where my bow and arrows lay in one of its branches._

_The realization of what's happening hits me hard._

_I'm running. And I won't_ ever_ go back._

_Where is this rebellion he's talking about?_

_But my thoughts are interrupted by a rustling in the foliage, as a tall figure stands in the shadows._

_Cato._

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I see him. His broad shoulders, blonde hair, blue eyes. It's him. The one I fell in love with on the island.

"Cato." is all I say. What else is there to say? The corners of his mouth raise slightly but then fall once he realizes the situation.

"You escaped again, huh?" he asks, a cold tone to it. I can tell he's angry, yet it's not the exploding anger I saw on the beach.

"It's not what you think. I had to get away... it was planned." I sigh, and get Prim up. She looks at Cato with wide eyes. I can see why she's timid; he is intimidating.

His eyes shoot straight to her. I can see them go wide for a second before asking me.

"Is that your-" he asks.

"Sister? Yes. Cato meet Prim. Prim, meet Cato." He smiles lightly and extends his hand. Prim doesn't shake it at first, but slowly grabs his.

"Nice to meet you Prim." He smiles and I see every ounce of anger gone. Of course; she always has that effect on people. She always manages to brighten their day. She doesn't reply though, just grins slightly.

He looks back in the direction of the village and then at me.

"Look, Katniss-" I cut him off.

"I know; I have to go." And with that, I turn around, no matter how much I want to spring back into his arms. I miss him so freaking much, but I know he still has anger put towards me.

"I wasn't going to say that," he states. I stare at him for a few seconds. The tension in the air could've been cut with a knife.

"Well," I start, "what were you going to say?" And there we are with the uncomfortable silence. Normally, I like it being quiet. But this isn't the kind of quiet I like. Not when there are so many words left unsaid.

I can feel his blue eyes drilling holes into my skull. And with that he replies softly.

"I want to come with you."

I don't decline, with a nod of my head and a turn with my heel.

All three of us walk quickly, with a need to escape.

* * *

It's later that night I confront Cato. I can't have the air suffocating me like this. I should be enjoying my time with Prim, not staying quiet for fear he'll start talking about... what happened.

Once she's asleep, I stand up. Wiping my pants, I walk over and sit next to his hulking figure. His face lifts up a bit before returning to stare at the ground.

"Hey," is all I say. And it's enough to capture his attention, as I feel him glance at me quickly. A cloud is forming over us, until he speaks.

"We can't avoid this Katniss."

"I know that."

"Then tell me why!" he whispers harshly. I look at him instead of staring off into the forest.

"Why what?" I ask quietly, after a minute of pure silence. He turns his whole body to me, and I stare into his eyes. They're not filled with anger; just sadness.

"Why you felt that you couldn't trust me. Why... you never told me." I look down at my hands and begin speaking. Though I'm not looking at him anymore, I know he's doing quite the opposite.

"I never knew who you really were at the time," I admitted. "I never knew until a few weeks, when I finally opened up to you. I was worried that if Snow came and found me, that you'd rat me out." I sigh.

He only nods his head, staring off into the distance. And when he does speak, it makes me jump at the unexpected sound.

"I'd never rat you out. Considering I need to be running too." I look at him and he just rolls his eyes. "Snow came into our old bakery a long time ago to... _visit_ my dad. He had this pin on his cane, and I took it. I still have it."

He reaches his hand into his pocket and pulls out a circular gold pin with a mockingjay encased in the ring. The tips of the wings and an arrow are the only thing connecting the bird to the metal. I admit; it's beautiful... and it could feed a whole family for months.

"I never knew it was so important to Snow," he continues. "When he found my family retreating to another country, he shot my mother and brothers. My father gave me the chest. The only thing I took from it that day we went to the other side was the pin. The rest of the chest is back on the island... along with Buttercup. I doubt he's alive."

I remember the stupid cat. In a way, it saddens me to think of him dead.

"I remember plunging into the water. The chest didn't sink. It was too light. And the gunman ran out of bullets. Snow burned down the ship and beheaded my father. And now, he's after me. It surprised me that he let me go home to the bakery. But I know that the only reason he let me go is because he loves a good chase." Like a cat and a mouse. But he isn't a cat. He's a snake.

"Well, good thing you saw me running. Now we can both get out of here." I look over to the sleeping Prim and then get up. Cato looks up at me but doesn't move. "I have to be getting to bed. I need to get a few hours of sleep before we get up early. After all," I laugh, "we are criminals." He gives me a puzzled look and remembers Snow's snarky comment.

'_Can't have a criminal out of her cell.'_ He remembers it too, and just smirks._  
_

"Goodnight Cato," I whisper and walk to Prim. I feel his eyes on me the time I lie down with her, my arm draping protectively over her stomach. I'll wake up when she does.

Before I close my eyes, I meet his. And I see his lips mouth something in response.

"Goodnight Katniss."

I fall asleep quickly.

* * *

**Cato's POV**

Seeing Katniss today surprises me. But the fact at how stupid I feel for getting mad is overcoming the surprise. I mean, I stole something of Snow's, and she stole what? I know it wasn't something of extreme worth. I'll ask her tomorrow.

Her sister definitely came as a surprise to me though. Blonde hair and blue eyes were the exact opposite of what I thought she looked like. In my mind, I thought she was a small Katniss. But she's so thin and delicate. I understand why Katniss sold her life on protecting Prim.

Which makes me feel like a major ass for getting mad. I shouldn't have abandoned her like that.

I'll talk to her about it tomorrow, right after I ask what she stole.

After a few minutes, of sitting and looking out on the forest, I stomp out the remains of the fire. The coals are still warm, so I lie down a couple feet from them to soak up their warmth.

The stars above me are similar to that at the islands. But the trees above cover most of the sky, so I only see small snippets through the bunches of branches.

I miss the island. I miss the smell of the ocean, and Buttercup. I miss him more than anything. I miss the soft sand, and the mystery inside the jungle. The small hut I called home.

I miss the chest that still lays inside that hut.

But what are the chances that we'll ever see that damn island again? One in a million.

If it were my choice, I'd run to the boats with Katniss and Prim over my shoulders. I'd sail out and return to it. And we'd live there, happy and healthy. And we could visit the kingdom. I'd marry Katniss and we'd be happy. Two lonely people who find a home in each other.

But I know my fantasy is already doomed. Snow would find us again, we'd both be hung or beheaded, Prim would be dead, and the hut would mold. Everything would collapse and us three would be nothing but a memory. But who's to remember us?

No one.

And with that thought, I close my eyes. The stars are too painful to look at now. My life is in more chaos than it ever has been in.

I quickly venture to sleep, remembering how I'll be getting up early with Katniss.

_With Katniss._

I never thought I'd say that again.

* * *

**So. There's the first chapter.**

**It would've been better, but once I tried to save the first draft, fanfiction logged me out. I thankfully had most of it saved.**

**Next chapter will be much, much longer. But I need to update Inferno, my other story. I think most of you are reading it!**

**I hope you all like my banner. c; I made it on this site called Lunapic, for whoever wants to make one. It works magic.**

**I'd love to hear from you all about what you think. I'm not forcing you to review, but even a private message would be nice! I don't have that '10 reviews or no chapter' rule AT ALL anymore. I felt like a dictator when I had it. But just know, the more I hear from you all, the faster I write!**

**I hope you liked this chapter my Buttercups. **

**See you hopefully soon!**

**XOXO,**

**HeyoMyFellowReaders101**


	2. AN

**Hello everyone. I apologize for not updating ina while, but I've been going through a traumatizing time. In case you haven't heard, a couple of my great friends, Kaleb and Tatiana, were involved in a huge motorcycle accident. **

**Tatiana was killed instantly from the impact, and Kaleb is in a medically induced coma, so his brain can heal. It's hard though, because the only sign of life we get from him is his heartbeat.**

**I went to the candlelight ceremony for Tatiana where tears were shed and people held onto each other. It was a rough night.**

**Pray for Kaleb's and Tat's family. They need it desperately. And if you're not religious, just keep them in your thoughts.**

**I'm working on the next chapter to Crumbling Salvation, so you should all see it by next week.**

**Tip of advice: tell the people whom you love that you love them. Life is so short, and it can be taken from us so quickly. **

**You never know when you'll have to say goodbye.**

**Sincerely,**

**HeyoMyFellowReaders101**


	3. The Start

**Thank you all for your feedback! I hope you like this next chapter. It's going to be a bit different more bumpy than the first story, but I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you all for the total of ten reviews I got! Appreciate it very much. (:**

**Carry on, sweet Buttercups.**

* * *

**Katniss' POV**

The morning light streams through the trees, letting small patches of warmth through the foliage. I'm lying on the dirt, my sister cocooned to me. She's still asleep, but Cato is wide awake. By now, he's roasting some animal over a fire.

For a minute, I almost think he doesn't know I'm awake... until he speaks, not even glancing my way.

"Good morning." he says, focusing on the meat. His eyes don't reach mine as I sit down near the fire.

"Good morning to you too," I say. He seems conflicted today. I can tell just by the way he scrunches his eyebrows. But I don't say anything; he just needs his space.

We sit in silence for a few minutes before Prim wakes up. She looks around and yawns, slowly crawling over to me.

"What time is it?" she asks. I look up and see the sun just over the mountains.

"About ten o'clock" I tell her. She just nods and looks towards the fire. Her eyes widen at the dead animal. She doesn't complain though, because she realizes that it's our food. We have to live and get away from Snow.

Once the meat finishes cooking, Cato rips some off the stick and hands it to me and Prim. We all eat greedily, easily eating it up after twenty minutes. I'm not satisfied at the little amount I have but as long as Prim is full, I'm content.

When we all decide to hit the road, that's when things get a bit awkward. None of us talk, more specifically Cato and I. But it's not a mad awkward; it's more of an "I don't know what to think or say" awkward.

The trees are pretty dense the farther we get into it. Small patches of fern scratch at my legs, and moss covers the trees. A few pines sneak in between the deciduous trees, adding a variety of colors. The grass is firm underneath my feet, and leaves crunch from the dryness. A few oranges peep in the green haze, giving the forest life. Prim's eyes look everywhere, but soon stay locked on a bush.

"Katniss," she whispers. "Look." I stare at the bush and see a pair of eyes staring straight at us. Followed by a small pink nose and small ears.

The rabbit looks at Prim and I, while Cato stops and looks at us weirdly. Then he sees the rabbit and his face softens a bit. I remember telling him once how Prim loves animals, whereas all I see them as.. is food. As if remembering the same memory, he looks to me and grins lightly. I give him a halfway smile before going back to Prim.

"Prim," I whisper, "it's wild. It'll get scared if we stand here too long." Her eyes look a bit saddened, but she quickly becomes bubbly again, saying goodbye to the small bundle of fur.

As Prim bounces in front of me, Cato and I share a glance. But it wasn't just a sour glance. It was different; kind. And the next words that he mouths to me surprise every cell inside my body.

'I'm sorry,' he says only with his lips. And instead of speaking, I just smile and keep walking, although closer than I was.

* * *

I admit, the day is long. After a couple hours and what very little breakfast we had, I can feel my stomach start to cramp. Prim seems fine, but I bet she's starting to feel the dull ache of hunger. We both know how to cope with it, but I never want my baby sister to feel hungry. That's why I stole the piece of bread.

I glance over at Cato, and he seems focused. But just as I look, he glances at me and smiles. My stomach forgets the ache and does a flip at his small smile. Prim turns around and sees him, his smile wiping onto her face. Then she looks at me, and I see the gleam in her eyes.

She knows about Cato, and how something is going on between us. I'll tell her the summary of what's going on.

After we all get over ourselves, we keep walking through more and more trees, ferns, roots, and poison oak. I feel like I'm lost in a never-ending forest, but somewhere in here is a growing revolution. Just like Thom said.

Thom. I wonder where he is now? Possibly to their base already? Wherever it is. I just hope he's safe. He did after all help me escape my death. For that, I owe him my life.

_Don't think about that Katniss,_ I tell myself. If all my thoughts revolved around owing people, I'd kill myself, Cato, and Prim. And if I was the reason Prim and Cato died, I wouldn't function. I'd be a living corpse; no thoughts, no heart, and no soul.

I shake my head. I have to stop thinking about this kind of stuff, or I'll make myself depressed.

We walk a bit farther until the heat of the day becomes too much. Sitting under an oak tree, I block the sun from my eyes. Cato and Prim sit beside me-Prim fanning herself while Cato wipes sweat from his forehead. I take off my jacket which I've been wearing for a couple hours. The sky is blue, but looking at it seems weird. It's too bright.

And now I know I'm dehydrated. My vision is starting to become blurry and my hearing fades out. Leaning my head against Cato's shoulder, I groan. He looks at me and notices how tired I look.

"Katniss," he says, "are you alright?" I shake my head.

"Let's look for a stream real fast. I think we all need water at the moment." Prim nods in agreement.

It takes thirty minutes or so before we stumble upon a small creek about three feet in width. The water is clear and seems untouched. Cupping my hands, I take a sip of water.

Ah. The smell alone is intoxicating. And I know it's water, but I've never indulged in a beverage so refreshing. The coolness slides down my throat, easing the dryness. I can feel myself becoming stronger each second as I drink and drink until I almost burst. My two companions are a bit more mellow than I am, but we're all still chugging like it's the end of the world.

I finish and rest against a log nearby. Watching Cato and Prim talk is something I've now come to enjoy. And though we only settled on good ground today and figured out these problems, I've grown to forget that. And I don't forget much.

These thoughts echo inside my head way past the creek. Around sunset, we put up camp for the night and get more sticks since we're far away from the city. The night is slightly cooler than the last, signaling Autumn is on its way. The smells of pumpkin bread and herbal tea almost feel as if they're in the air right now. It was always my favorite season.

Night falls and we all get closer to the fire. I hug Prim to keep her warm, though the flames are doing that quite well. Goosebumps form on my arm by the time she's in a deep sleep.

"Katniss." I look to Cato, who is about seven feet away. "Are you cold?" he asks. I'm not one to admit things, but if I was wise, I'd say yes. So I do.

"What do you think?" He grins and walks over, each stride quiet and calculated. By the time he reaches me, he sits down and wraps an arm over my shoulder. Leaning my head against his, I take in a breath and feel my eyelids start to sag. He notices.

"You've been strong this whole time. Let me handle tonight." he states. I shake my head.

"I'm the one who got us into this mes-"

"Katniss, don't play that card. We all have our bad encounters with Snow. Go. To. Sleep." He enunciates each word softly, but the force is still there. My muscles start to melt in his touch, so I give in just this once.

"Okay," I whisper. Closing my eyes, I allow sleep to swim through my veins and take me from this reality.

* * *

**So, I know this isn't my best chapter yet. But I think you all have been waiting for faaaar too long. **

**I have news for you all: I am officially in a relationship! With my boy! The one who I've been on and off with technically. But we're officially dating, so I've been letting that sink in. It's definitely weird to think about.**

**Kaleb is doing so much better, and he's actually squeezed his mom's hand! It was a miracle, but it happened. So the doctors are going to try and remove a bit of the medicine to see how he's doing. **

**My grades have been in need of attention, so I've been working at that also. I've had a lot on my hands.**

**There you go! My explanation of why I haven't updated in a million years. I hope to see you all next time!**

**Sincerely,**

**HeyoMyFellowReaders101**


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